JP4012531B2 - Sterilization container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sterilization container applied to a sterilization apparatus for steam sterilizing a solid food, and more specifically, for sterilization suitable for sterilizing a solid food typically contained in an aseptic filled food or the like. Concerning the container.

  As a method for sterilizing retort food, an indirect heating method is known in which cooked food is put in a product container and sealed, and then heated to sterilize the cooked food of the contents. As another sterilization method, a direct heating method for sterilizing solid foods before putting them into a product container is known, which is also called aseptic filling method.

  Patent Documents 1 to 4 disclose a sterilization apparatus and a sterilization container suitable for the latter direct heat sterilization method, and this sterilization apparatus is incorporated in a food production line containing containers. The solid food sterilized by the sterilization apparatus disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 4 is aseptically filled in the product container, and then sealed after the liquid component is put in the product container.

  Regarding the disclosure of Patent Documents 1 to 4, specifically, Patent Document 1 describes that a solid food is placed in a bottomed sterilization container having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface and a polygonal inner peripheral surface, and then cup-shaped. When the sterilization containers are inserted one after another from one end of the long sterilization pot, and the cup-shaped sterilization container passes through the sterilization pot, the solid food (material) is heat sterilized with steam and sterilization is completed. It has been proposed to take out a cup-shaped sterilization container from the other end of the sterilization pot.

  In Patent Document 2, solid food is put in a cup constituting a sterilization container, and then a predetermined number of cups are accommodated in a cassette with a roof, and the batch type sterilizer (corresponding to a sterilization pot) is used. It has been proposed to heat pasteurize solid food with steam.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a batch-type continuous sterilization apparatus in which a large number of cylindrical sterilization pots extending in the horizontal direction are arranged radially and sterilized while being intermittently moved in one direction along a circular track on a horizontal plane. Has proposed. In this sterilization apparatus, a cylindrical sterilization container having an open upper end is adopted as a sterilization container for containing solid food. A predetermined number of sterilization containers containing solid food are stored in a tray in a state of being arranged side by side, and by inserting the tray into the sterilization pot, the predetermined number of sterilization containers are collectively contained in the sterilization pot. Loaded inside. The sterilization pot heat sterilizes solid food with steam while moving on the circular track. When sterilization is complete, the tray is removed from the sterilization pot. A tray discharge area for removing the tray from the sterilization pot is provided adjacent to the circular track, and a loading area for loading the tray into an empty sterilization pot is provided adjacent to the tray discharge area.

  In the sterilizer using steam described above, the operating condition, that is, the sterilization condition is set so that a desired sterilization value can be obtained. Regarding the setting of this sterilization condition, Patent Document 4 regards a solid food (solid component) to be put in a sterilization container as one lump, and the most hardly heated portion of this lump, typically a virtual one. It discloses that the operating condition “temperature of steam × time for exposing solid food to steam (sterilization time)” is set so that the core part of the lump has a desired sterilization value.

  Patent Document 4 points out the problem of overheating and proposes a rectangular sterilization container as a sterilization container that can solve this problem. Explaining the problem of overheating, when the sterilization conditions are set so that a large sterilization value can be obtained, the solid food present in the most susceptible to heat in the sterilization container is heated for a long time. Therefore, problems such as deterioration of quality due to excessive heating are likely to occur.

The rectangular sterilization container proposed in Patent Document 4 has a plurality of sections divided by partition walls, and the outer wall and partition walls of the sterilization container have a number of vapor passage holes. Solid foods to be placed in the sterilization container are classified according to size, and small solid foods and large solid foods are stored in separate compartments. In Patent Document 4, when a sterilization container having a plurality of compartments is used, a large solid food that takes time to heat up to the core is arranged in a line and placed in a large solid food containing compartment. It is proposed to set the operating conditions of the sterilizer so that the solid food can maintain a predetermined sterilization value. In the sterilization apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 4, a predetermined number of rectangular sterilization containers are placed side by side on a cart, and the entire cart is inserted from one end of a long sterilization kettle. After the solid food is sterilized with steam, it is taken out from the other end of the sterilization pot.
JP-A-8-70833 JP-A-9-84567 JP 2003-245060 A JP-A-11-113742

  According to the rectangular sterilization container of Patent Document 4, a large number of steam passage holes are provided in the outer wall and the partition wall, and large solid foods are accommodated in a dedicated section in a line, so this Large solid foods can be heated directly by steam. Therefore, the “sterilization time”, which is one of the operating conditions of the sterilization apparatus, can be shortened, thereby preventing the occurrence of overheating problems.

However, since the container for sterilization of Patent Document 4 is rectangular and a large number of vapor passage holes are provided in the outer wall and the partition wall, there are various problems as follows.
(1) Since the partition wall is provided in the sterilization container, the manufacturing cost of the sterilization container increases.

  (2) Since the container for sterilization is rectangular, the operability of the container for sterilization is poor when it is placed on a cart or when solid food is taken out from the container for sterilization after sterilization.

  (3) In order to discharge the solid food from the sterilization container, the sterilization container is turned upside down. However, the solid food is caught in the steam passage holes of the outer wall and the partition wall, so that the solid food is not discharged and sterilized. Part of the solid food may remain in the container. In particular, in the rectangular sterilization container described above, a large solid food storage section is provided by arranging large solid foods in a row, so that the small solid food storage space for storing small solid foods is narrow and vertically long. In particular, when a small solid food is discharged from a small solid food storage space, there is a problem that the solid food sticks to the wall surface or the solid food is difficult to be discharged due to being caught.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a sterilization container that is excellent in operability of a sterilization container and shortens the sterilization time and eliminates the problem of overheating when solid food is sterilized by direct heat sterilization. There is to do.

  It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sterilization container that can improve the discharge of solid food when the solid food is discharged from the sterilization container after sterilization.

  It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sterilization container capable of preventing the solid food from being boiled by drip liquid such as moisture or oil from the solid food during steam sterilization.

  A further object of the present invention is to improve the operability of transferring solid food and eliminate the problem of overheating in a food production line with a container including a sterilizer that transfers the food to a product container after sterilizing the solid food. An object of the present invention is to provide a container for sterilization.

According to the present invention, the above technical problem is
A sterilization container applied to a sterilizer for sterilizing the solid food with steam by putting a sterilization container containing solid food in a sterilization pot,
The solid food is formed by a cylindrical main body opened upward, an inner cylindrical body arranged coaxially with the cylindrical main body, and a bottom wall connecting the inner cylindrical body and the lower end portions of the cylindrical main body. A solid food storage space for storage is formed,
The inner cylinder is achieved by providing a sterilization container characterized in that at least the lower end thereof is provided with an opening through which steam can pass.

  That is, according to the sterilization container of the present invention, the inner cylindrical body is provided in the center portion of the bottomed cylindrical main body, and the solid food containing space is formed between the inner cylindrical body and the cylindrical main body. Therefore, the solid food put in the solid food storage space is heated by heat transfer from both the inner cylindrical body into which the steam enters from the lower end opening and the cylindrical body exposed to the atmospheric steam. The inner cylinder is preferably circular in cross section.

  According to the present invention, since the heat transfer distance to the core of the solid food is shortened, the sterilization time required to obtain a desired sterilization value can be shortened, thereby eliminating the problem of overheating. In addition, a desired bactericidal value can be obtained. There is a practical advantage that a desired sterilization value can be obtained without worrying about overheating by setting the sterilization time to be limited to the limit of the sterilization time in which the problem of overheating occurs.

  In addition, since the outer shape of the sterilization container of the present invention is cylindrical, not only the work of loading on the tray and loading into the pressure kettle, the operability when handling the sterilization container after sterilization is excellent, Using a reversing device (including chutes) often used in retort food production lines, the sterilization container is turned upside down to discharge the solid food from the sterilization container, and the discharged solid food is put into the product container. The operability of the sterilization container is excellent.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner cylinder has a tapered shape that gradually decreases in diameter toward the upper end. According to this, since the solid food storage space formed between the inner cylindrical body and the cylindrical body has a shape that expands upward, when the solid food is put into the solid food storage space, When the food is discharged from the sterilization container, the solid food can be caught without being caught, so that the solid food can be surely stored in the solid food storage space, and the solid food can be reliably discharged from the sterilization container.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a large number of drain holes are formed in the bottom wall, so that drip liquid such as water generated during steam sterilization or oil from solid food is discharged from the sterilization container through the drain holes. It can be discharged, drip liquid accumulates in the sterilization container, and this drip liquid slows the rate of temperature rise when heating, and also contaminates the product container when transferring solid food to the product container at the time of filling Can be prevented.

  The upper end of the inner cylinder described above is preferably closed by a substantially hemispherical top surface. Thus, when the solid food is put into the sterilization container, it can be accurately stored in the solid food storage space. In a preferred embodiment, a steam passage hole is provided in the substantially hemispherical top surface of the inner cylindrical body in order to smoothly enter the steam.

  In order to ensure the discharge of solid food in the sterilization container of the present invention, at least the inner surface of the cylindrical main body, the upper surface of the bottom wall of the cylindrical main body, and the outer surface of the inner cylindrical body are coated with a fluororesin. It is good to do. According to this, it is possible to prevent the solid food from adhering to the wall surface of the solid food storage space, and it is possible not only to discharge the solid food accurately, but also to improve the cleanability of the sterilization container.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a part of a production line for an aseptic filling product containing a solid food. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 denotes an endless conveyor, and the product container 2 is intermittently conveyed in the direction of arrow A by the endless conveyor 1. A hand 3 is installed at the upstream end (left side in the drawing) of the endless conveyor 1, and the sterilized product container 2 is mounted on the endless conveyor 1 by the hand 3.

  In order from the upstream side to the downstream side along the conveyance direction A of the endless conveyor 1, the solid food (stuff) input part 4, the liquid component filling part 5, and the seal part for sealing the upper end opening of the product container 2 with a film 6, the product container 2 is taken out from the endless conveyor 1 at the downstream end of the endless conveyor 1.

  The solid food charging unit 4 is substantially constituted by a chute 7. The solid food (material) in the sterilization container 7 to be described later is inverted upside down in the process of pushing the sterilization container 7 after solid food sterilization with the pusher 8 and dropping the sterilization container 7 in the chute 9. As a result, the solid food is discharged from the sterilization container 7 and the solid food is put into the product container 2.

  The product container 2 charged with the solid food is conveyed to the next liquid component filling unit 5 by the endless conveyor 1, and a predetermined amount of liquid component is supplied to the product container 2 from a filling nozzle that substantially constitutes the liquid component filling unit 5. Filled. The product container 2 containing the solid food and the liquid component is taken out from the endless conveyor 1 after being sealed by the seal portion 6 in the next process, and then proceeds to a process for product shipment.

  Sterilization of solid food is performed using, for example, a batch-type continuous sterilization apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3. As described above, the outline of the sterilization apparatus of Patent Document 3 is as follows. A large number of cylindrical pressure pots extending in the horizontal direction, that is, the sterilization pots 10 (FIG. 2) are arranged radially, and the sterilization pots are arranged in a circular orbit on a horizontal plane. Sterilize while moving intermittently along one direction.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the sterilization pot 10 is closed at the left end and sealed by the lid 11 at the right end. Inside the sterilization pot 10, a steam discharge pipe 12 is disposed at the lower part thereof. The pressurized steam supplied to the steam discharge pipe 12 through the steam supply tube 14 having the opening / closing valve 13 is discharged into the sterilization pot 10 through the numerous steam discharge holes 12 a of the steam discharge pipe 12. The sterilization pot 10 is also connected with a deaeration tube 16 having an open / close valve 15 interposed therebetween, and can be evacuated through the deaeration tube 16.

  The sterilization pot 10 is loaded with a predetermined number of sterilization containers 7 in a state of being placed on the tray 20. The tray 20 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and has a pair of side walls 21 and a pair of end walls 22 (FIG. 3). The tray 20 also has a bottom wall 23 and an intermediate plate 24 thereon (FIG. 2). Many drain holes 24 a are formed in the intermediate plate 24 (FIG. 3), and many sterilization containers 7 are placed on the intermediate plate 24 in an aligned state.

  4 and 5 show the sterilization container 7 of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view in which a part of the sterilization container 7 is cut away, and FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sterilization container 7. The sterilization container 7 has a cylindrical main body 30 having a circular cross section, and a bottom wall 31 is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical main body 30. The bottom wall 31 may be provided at the lower end of the cylindrical main body 30, but it is preferable that the bottom wall 31 is provided at a position slightly above the lower end of the cylindrical main body 30 and the leg 32 is configured by the lower end of the cylindrical main body 30.

  The bottom wall 31 of the cylindrical main body 30 is formed with a circular opening 31a at the center thereof (FIG. 5), and the inner cylinder 33 preferably having a cylindrical shape with a diameter corresponding to the circular opening 31a is the bottom wall 31. Extends vertically upward. The inner cylinder 33 is disposed coaxially with the cylindrical main body 30. That is, the sterilization container 7 includes a cylindrical main body 30, an inner cylindrical body 33 coaxial with the cylindrical main body 30, and a bottom wall 31 that connects the lower ends of the cylindrical main body 30 and the inner cylindrical body 33, A number of drain holes 36 are preferably formed in the bottom wall 31.

  As will be described later, the circular opening 31a functions as a communication hole for introducing steam into the inner cylindrical body 33, and the circular opening 31a takes into account the cleaning properties inside the inner cylindrical body 33. Preferably, the bottom wall 31 is extended to the center portion, the bottom wall 31 without the circular opening 31a is provided, and a relatively large steam passage hole is used instead of the circular opening 31a. A plurality of openings may be provided, or a relatively large opening such as a rectangle may be provided although the shape is arbitrary, and the total area of the openings is equal to that of the bottom wall 31 of the inner cylindrical body 33. It should be 10% or more, preferably 20% or more, relative to the area.

  The upper end of the inner cylinder 33 is preferably closed by a substantially hemispherical top surface 33a, and a plurality of relatively large diameter steam passage holes 34 are preferably formed in the substantially hemispherical top surface 33a. As a modification, the upper end of the inner cylinder 33 may be closed with a horizontal wall, and a steam passage hole may be provided in the horizontal wall. As another modification, the upper end of the inner cylinder 33 may be provided with an opening opened upward, and the upper end portion of the inner cylinder 33 is tapered in order to reduce the diameter of the upper end opening. You may make it shape in this shape.

  The material of the sterilization container 7 including the inner cylinder 33 can be selected from any material such as iron, aluminum, and titanium alloy as long as it has excellent thermal conductivity. Incidentally, the sterilization container 7 of the embodiment is made of stainless steel.

  As can be seen from FIG. 5, the sterilization container 7 described above contains the solid food S in the space 37 sandwiched between the cylindrical main body 30 and the inner cylinder 33. Specifically, in the solid food storage space 37, ingredients subdivided by product are stored.

  The solid food S contained in the sterilization container 7 is heated at, for example, 130 ° C. by steam discharged into the pressure cooker, that is, the sterilization pot 10 through the steam discharge pipe 12. The atmospheric steam inside the sterilization pot 10 enters the inner cylinder 33 through the lower end opening 31a of the inner cylinder 33 of the sterilization container 7, and the inner cylinder 33 through the vapor passage hole 34 on the substantially hemispherical top surface. You can go inside.

  The solid food S in the sterilization container 7 is heated not only by heat transmitted from the side wall of the cylindrical main body 30 but also by heat transmitted from the side wall of the inner cylinder 33. Thereby, the solid food S is heated by heat transmitted from both the outer side and the inner side, and a desired sterilization value can be obtained even if the sterilization time is shortened by shortening the heat transfer distance.

  The drip liquid generated when the solid food S in the sterilization container 7 is sterilized with pressurized steam can be dropped through the drain hole 36 of the bottom wall 31. The drain hole 36 is preferably about 2 to 4 mm in diameter. If the diameter of the drain hole 36 is too small, it becomes difficult for the drip liquid to fall downward through the drain hole 36 due to surface tension. On the other hand, if the diameter of the drain hole 36 is too large, the fine solid food will fall downward through the drain hole 36. The total area of the drain holes 36 is preferably 10% or more with respect to the area of the bottom wall 31 of the solid food containing space 37, and more preferably 20% or more.

  Since the outer shape of the sterilization container 7 is cylindrical, it is possible to improve workability when the sterilization container 7 is transported, mounted on the tray 20, and when the sterilization container 7 is taken out from the tray 20. In addition, the sterilization container 7 can be reversed using the chute 9 to discharge the solid food S.

  Regarding the discharge of the solid food S, since the steam passage hole is not provided in the cylindrical main body 30 and the inner cylinder 33 of the sterilization container 7, the solid food S is caught in the steam passage hole as in the conventional case. There is no possibility of causing a problem that the gas is not discharged well. Moreover, since the vapor | steam passage hole is not provided in the cylindrical main body 30 and the inner side cylinder 33 of the container 7 for sterilization, a solid food does not contact a vapor | steam passage hole and a trace does not remain in a solid foodstuff. If the target is the solid food S that does not cause such a problem, the cylindrical main body 30 and / or the inner cylinder 33 may be provided with a steam passage hole.

  In order to improve the discharge of the solid food S, the wall surface defining at least the solid food storage space 37 of the sterilization container 7, that is, the inner surface of the cylindrical body 30, the outer surface of the inner cylinder 33, and the upper surface of the bottom wall 31. Preferably, all surfaces exposed to the outside are coated with a fluororesin. The sterilization container 7 coated with a fluororesin has advantages that the solid food S is less likely to adhere to the wall surface, so that the solid food S can be discharged smoothly, is not easily soiled, and is easy to clean. .

  In addition, the lower end of the sterilization container 7 comes into contact with the transport surface for mounting the sterilization container 7 on the tray 20 and also comes into contact with the placement surface (intermediate plate 24 with holes) of the tray 20. By providing the legs 32 with the sterilization container 7 as a raised bottom, the transport surface for mounting the sterilization container 7 on the tray 20 and the sterilization container 7 are separated from the tray 20 and transferred to the filling machine. It is possible to prevent the dirt on the transport surface from adhering to the bottom wall 31 and the solid food S of the sterilization container 7. Further, since the bottom wall 31 of the sterilization container 7 can be separated from the holed intermediate plate 24 of the tray 20, the drip liquid can be smoothly discharged from the drain hole 36 of the bottom wall 31. This prevents the drip liquid remaining in the sterilization container 7 from adhering to the product container 2 and soiling the product container 2 when the solid food S is transferred from the sterilization container 7 to the product container 2. it can.

  6 and 7 show a first modified example 40 of the sterilization container 7. FIG. 6 is a side view in which a part of the sterilization container 40 of the first modification is cut away, and FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sterilization container 40 of the first modification. The illustrated sterilization container 40 has substantially the same configuration as the sterilization container 7 described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, and the diameter is gradually reduced as the inner cylindrical body 33 having a circular cross section is directed upward. It differs in that it has a tapered shape.

  By making the inner cylindrical body 33 taper upward, the width increases as the solid food containing space 41 formed between the tapered inner cylindrical body 33 and the cylindrical main body 30 moves upward. Therefore, when the solid food S is discharged from the sterilization container 40, there is an advantage that the solid food S can easily come out of the sterilization container 40. In order to obtain such advantages in actual work, it is preferable to set the inclination angle of the outer surface of the tapered inner cylindrical body 33 to 0.5 degrees or more, or 1 degree or more.

  FIG. 8 shows a second modification 45 of the sterilization container 7 and is a side view in which a part of the sterilization container 45 of the second modification is cut away. The second modified example 45 is characterized in that no holes (drain holes 24, vapor passage holes 34) are provided in the substantially hemispherical top surface 33a of the bottom wall 31 and the inner cylindrical body 33. The illustrated second modified example 45 is merely an example, and a hole may not be provided in either the bottom wall 31 or the substantially hemispherical top surface 33a of the inner cylindrical body 33. Moreover, in FIG. 8, although illustrated in relation to the first modified example 40 provided with the above-described tapered inner cylinder 33, the sterilization container 7 of the embodiment (an inner cylinder having the same diameter from the lower end to the upper end). The second modification may be applied to 30).

  As described above, the example in which the sterilization container 7 according to the embodiment is applied to the sterilization pot 10 that is sterilized by heating with pressurized steam has been described. Moreover, although the example which accommodated the solid food S subdivided by the product unit with respect to the container 7 for sterilization of the Example was demonstrated, the solid food S subdivided by the several product unit was accommodated in the container 7 for sterilization. The product may be distributed to a plurality of product containers after sterilization. Moreover, when manufacturing a product containing a plurality of types of solid foods, the solid food S classified for each type may be sterilized in a separate sterilization container 7 and mixed at the stage of entering the product container. Good.

It is the schematic of the main lines which manufacture aseptic filling foodstuff. The sterilization pot configuration of a sterilizer that loads a number of sterilization containers on a tray in a horizontally extending cylindrical sterilization pot and sterilizes solid food in the sterilization container with pressurized steam. FIG. It is a top view of the tray which mounts many sterilization containers. It is a partially cutaway side view of the sterilization container of the first embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the container for sterilization of 1st Example. It is a partially cutaway side view of the container for sterilization of the 1st modification. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the container for sterilization of the 1st modification. It is a partially cutaway side view of the container for sterilization of the 2nd modification.

Explanation of symbols

7 Sterilization container 10 Sterilization pot 20 Tray 30 Cylindrical main body 31 Bottom wall 31a Central circular opening of the bottom wall 32 Leg 33 Inner cylinder 33a The substantially hemispherical top surface 34 of the cylindrical inner cylinder 34 The substantially hemispherical top surface Steam passage hole 36 Drain hole in bottom wall 37 Solid food storage space S Solid food (ingredient)

Claims (5)

A sterilization container applied to a sterilizer for sterilizing the solid food with steam by putting a sterilization container containing solid food in a sterilization pot,
The solid food is formed by a cylindrical main body opened upward, an inner cylindrical body arranged coaxially with the cylindrical main body, and a bottom wall connecting the inner cylindrical body and the lower end portions of the cylindrical main body. A solid food storage space for storage is formed,
The inner cylinder is provided with an opening through which steam can pass at least at the lower end thereof.   2. The sterilization container according to claim 1, wherein the inner cylindrical body has a circular cross section and has a tapered shape with a diameter gradually reduced toward the upper end.   The sterilization container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of drain holes are formed in the bottom wall. The upper end of the inner cylinder is composed of a substantially hemispherical top surface,
The sterilization container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of vapor passage holes are formed on the substantially hemispherical top surface.   The sterilization container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least an inner surface of the cylindrical main body, an upper surface of the bottom wall, and an outer surface of the inner cylindrical body are coated with a fluororesin.

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